Improvement in explosive compounds



CARL eUsTAF-RJoRKMAN, or GHRISTIANIA, NORWAY, AssIeNoR OF ALL HIS RIGHTTO oHARLEs DE LACY, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN EXPL'OSIVE COMPOUNDS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 177,988, dated May '30,1876; application filed May 23, 1876. v

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL GUSTAF BJo K- MAN, of Ghristiania, in theKingdom of Norway, have invented an Explosive Compound, to be used forblasting and other purposes in the arts as a substitute for gunpowderand likecompositions of matter, of which the following is aspecification:

It consists in a composition formed by mixing twenty parts nitrate ofpotash; twenty parts chlorate of potash ten parts cellulosa; ten partspea-meal; ten parts sawdust; thirty parts nitroline. v

Gellulosa,-as understood here, is made as follows Twenty parts nitricacid, (N0 1.50 specific weight, is mixed with forty parts sulphuricacid, ($0 1.845 specific weight. This mixture is left untouched for atleast forty-eight hours, after which twelve parts well-ground pea-mealis added, and the compound is stirred round until its temperature hasfallen 6 Fahrenheit from that which it stood when the pea-meal wasadded. It is then left standing for-two hours, when the compound ispoured into a vessel containing .water in quantity at least five timesits weight,

and left thus for ten minutes, after which the water is poured 0E and afresh supply, thoroughly impregnated with soda, is poured on while thecompound is kept stirred. It is then left standing until the cellulosahas sunk to the bottom, when the water is poured ofl' and the compoundis placed in a room with a temperature of 63 Fahrenheit, where it iskept stirred up for twelve hours, and is then ready for use.

Nitroline is: made as follows: Eighty parts nitric acid, (N0 1.50specific weight, are mixed with one hundred and seventy parts sulphuricacid, (80 1.845 specific weight. This mixture is left standing until itstemperature has fallen 10 Fahrenheit, whereupon fifteen. parts rawstearic oil and fifteen parts sirup are slowly dropped into the acids,which are-kept stirred. The time for this process is about six hours,after which it is left standing for about four hours, during which theraw nitroline will rise to the surface, from which it is carefullyskimmed and deposited in a vessel containing water at least five timesthe .weight'of thecompound, and left therein for twoor three minutes,and thereafter charged into fresh water, after which water containingten per cent. soda and four times the weight of the compound is pouredon under continued stirring. It is then left standin g for a short time,when the nitroline is taken out and placed in a room with a temperatureof 40 Fahrenheit, and is ready for use.

The nitrate of potash and chlorate of pot-' ash are thoroughly mixed,whereupon the nitroline is added and the compound is stirred round withgreat care. The other ingredients, as above described, after having beenmixed together beforehand, are'added, and the whole is stirred until itbecomes a'smooth and even mass.

Manner of exploding the compound: The compound is deposited in a papercover by the aid of a piece of wood conically shaped. The cartridge isplaced in ahole bored in the rock, pushed well down to 'the bottom,covered with half an inch of powder, in which a fuse is inserted. It isthen covered with clay or sand, the fuse is ignited, and when lows. I

What I claim as my invention is- Anexplosive compound composed ofnitrate of potash, chlorateof potash, cellulosa, peameal, sawdust, andnitroline, in about the proportions aud substantially in the mannerspecified. v

The above'specification signed by me this the fire reaches the powderthe explosion fol 7th day of January, 1876.

- CA L GUSTAF BJCRKMAR.

Witnesses:

M. L. JAooBY, I

Copenhagen, 27 St. Kongensgaste. CARL G. F. SCHMIDT,

Nyhov 17-.

